Transformer relay unit



June 13, 1939. E. J. DILLMAN TRNSFORMER RELAY UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 2, 1937 1 w. .L f

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NVENTOR June 13, 1939. E. J. DILLMAN TRANSFORMER RELAY UNIT Filed April 2, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HaHa-ug NVENTOR LA' ATTORNEY Patented June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRANSFORMER RELAY UNIT Application April 2, 1937, Serial No. 134,491

6 Claims.

My invention relates generally to control devices and more particularly to a combined transformer and relay unit.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a new and improved transformer-relay unit.

Another object of my invention is to provide a transformer-relay unit having a new and improved arrangement of the parts thereof.

The invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts, to be more fully described hereinafter and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, to be taken as a part of this specification, I have fully and clearly illustrated my invention, in which drawings- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View of a control system including my improved transformer-relay unit;

Fig. 2 is a front View shown in elevation of my transformer-relay unit With the cover thereof removed;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of my transformerrelay unit with the casing thereof partly broken away and shown in cross section to show the parts of the unit;

Fig. 4 is a view shown in elevation and partly broken away of the back of my transformerrelay unit;

Fig. 5 is a view shown in elevation taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 5 5 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a view shown in elevation of the transformer removed from the unit.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference my transformer-relay unit includes a supporting member I for supporting the hereinafter described parts of my device, and this supporting member is preferably a rectangular shaped plate that preferably has a centrally disposed opening 2 therethrough. One side, as at 2, of the plate I may be termed the front side thereof and carried by or mounted on the supporting plate I there is a transformer, designated in general by the numeral 3, which may be of any suitable type comprising in general a core 4, a primary coil 5 and a secondary coil 6. The transformer core 4 is preferably formed by a plurality of associated plates, and preferably the core is positioned so that one of the end plates thereof abuts or seats flat against the front side of the supporting plate I and overlies the opening 2 thereof. The plates forming the transformer core 4 are preferably provided with spaced,

aligned, rectangular openings therethrough, and disposed between the plates and overlying said openings there is preferably a plurality of elongated overlying plates 4a that provide a core portion around which the primary coil 5 and secondary coil 6 are wound, these coils being positioned in the space formed by the openings in the core plates and extend into the opening 2 in the supporting plate I.

Mounted on the supporting plate I and dislo posed on the rear side or back thereof, there is a terminal board 8 that preferably overlies the supporting plate opening 2 and is formed of suitable electric insulating material. The terminal board 8 may be spaced from the back of the sup- 15 porting plate I by spacer members IIJ, and may be provided with apertures for receiving screws II that may extend through the opening 2 in the plate l, through aligning apertures II in the plates of the core 4, and be screw threaded into spaced mounting blocks I2 to rigidly secure the parts together. The mounting blocks I2, of which there are two in the present instance, are formed of electric insulating material and abut or seat against the outer core surface, or against 25 the outermost plate forming the core 4 of the transformer 3. Secured in and to the terminal board 8 there are three spaced terminal posts I4, l5 and I6, and to the terminal posts I4 and I5 are connected main lead wires Il and I8 respectively, 80 that may lead from the usual IIIIV line. A removable, box-like casing or outlet box I9 may be provided to enclose the terminal board 8, and may be secured to the supporting plate I by screws 20 or by other suitable means. 35

Carried by the transformer 3 in advance thereof, there is a relay for controlling an electric circuit, and this relay includes an electro-magnet 2l having a core 22 surrounded by a coil 23. A bracket 24, see Fig. 3, is preferably provided for 40 mounting the relay on the transformer 3, and the bracket 24 may be formed of a strip of metal and have oset end portions 25 provided with apertures for receiving screws 26 that may screw thread into the mounting blocks I2 to secure 45 the bracket 24 rigidly thereto. In the present construction, the relay has a supporting member or bracket of general U-shape having a base portion 21 and integral, substantially parallel side members 28 and 29. The U-shaped bracket is 50 arranged with its base 2l seating against the bracket 24, with the bracket side members 28 and 29 extending outwardly from the transformer 3. The electro-magnet 2| is positioned between the bracket side members 28, 29 and preferably 56 the magnet core 22 is employed to secure the relay unit rigidly to the bracket 24. To this end the bracket 24 and the base 21 of the U-shaped bracket may be provided with aligning apertures through which one end of the magnet core 22 may project and be peened over, as at 30, to rigidly secure the parts together. A strip or sheet of electric insulating material 3| is preferably provided between the bracket 24 and the base 21 of the U-shaped bracket, and a washer 32 of electric insulating material is preferably provided between the peened over end portion 30 of magnet core 22 and the bracket 24,

Oiverlying the other or forwardly extending end of the magnet core 22 there is a movable, plate-like armature 34 that is fulcrumed on the outer end edge of the U-shaped bracket side member 28. A spring 35, which may be a helical coil spring, has one end secured to a lug 36 formed out of the side member 28, and has its other end secured to one end of the armature 34, the spring being adapted to move the armature away from the magnet 2| when the magnet becomes deenergized. Movement of the armature 34 away from the magnet 2| may be limited by a stop member 31 that may comprise an extended portion of the U-shaped bracket side member 28. Secured to the bracket side member 29 there is a metallic supporting member 33, preferably a plate for supporting a Contact member 39 for cooperation with a contact member 40 that is carried by a resilient, metallic blade 4| which is secured to and carried by the armature 34. The metallic contact supporting member or plate 38 is interposed between two strips or sheets 42 of electric insulating material, and these strips of insulating material, the side members 29 and the contact supporting member 38 are provided with aligning apertures for receiving a rivet 43 for rigidly securing the parts together and to the side member 29.

A cover or casing 44 which may be tubular in shape cooperates with the supporting plate to enclose the transformer relay and associated parts thereof. A terminal board 45 is mounted on the supporting plate in advance of the front side 2n thereof, the terminal board 45 preferably being disposed adjacent the upper end of the supporting plate and externally of the casing 44. Tubular spacer members may be provided to space the terminal board 45 from the front side 2EL of the supporting plate I, and the terminal board may be provided with apertures for receiving screws 41 that may screw thread into the supporting plate to rigidly secure the terminal board 45 thereto. Secured in and to the terminal board 45 there are spaced terminal posts, there being three of these posts in the present instance, designated by the numerals 48, 49 and 50. The terminal board 45 may be enclosed by a box-like casing or outlet box 5| having an opening 48 for the entrance of lead wires.

A load 52 such as a heating apparatus control or other device, Fig. l, may be connected to the terminals l5 and I6 of the terminal board 8 by lead wires 53 and 54 respectively. The metallic supporting member 38 of the relay contact 39 may be connected to the terminal post I6 by a lead wire 56. The other relay contact 40, or contact that is carried by the armature 34, may be connected by a jumper wire 4|)a to the side member 28 of the relay U-shaped bracket, and a lead wire 51 may have one end connected to the bracket through the rivet 43 and have its other end connected to the' terminal post |4 of the treminal board 8. One end of the transformer primary coil 5 may be connected to the terminalpost I5 by a lead wire 58 and the other end of the primary coil 5 may be connected to the terminal post |4 by a lead wire 59.

A resistance 60 which may be readily assembled and/or disassembled from the transformerrelay unit is provided and serves, in the event of a short circuit, as a safety means providing a load to prevent overheating or burning out of the transformer 3. The resistance 60 is detachable carried by or mounted on the transformer 3 and is preferably disposed below the relay, as seen on the drawings, Fig. 2. The resistance 60 may be encased in or covered by electric insulating material 6| which may be porcelain, or other suitable materiall preferably in the form of an open ended tubular member. A pair of supporting members in the form of brackets 62 and 63 are mounted one on each of the electric insulating blocks 2 for supporting the resistance 6D, and these brackets 62 and 63 also serve as terminals. To each end of the resistance 60 there is connected a metallic current conducting strip 64 which may have end portions secured in and to the insulating material 6|, and these strips 64 may be detachably secured one to each of the terminal brackets 62 and 63 by screws 65, or by other suitable means.

One end of the transformer secondary coil is connected to the bracket or terminal 62 of the resistance 60 by a lead wire 56, and the other terminal 63 of the resistance is connected by a lead wire 61 to the terminal 49 of the terminal board 45. The other end of the transformer secondary coil 6 is connected to the terminal 5|] of the terminal board 45 by a lead wire 68. One end of the relay coil 23 is connected to the terminal bracket 62 by a lead wire 10 and the other end of the relay coil 23 is connected to the terminal post 48 of the terminal board 45 by a lead wire 1|.

The control system includes a room thermostat 12, Fig. l, which controls the secondary circuit of the relay, which in turn controls the primary circuit of the control 52 to control the temperature of a room or other enclosed space. The thermostat 12 may comprise in general a thermostatic or bi-metal blade 13 and a Contact 14. The blade 13 and contact 14 may be mounted on a supporting member or base 15, and preferably the contact 14 is supported by a metallic supporting block 16 that may be secured in and to the base 15. The member 16 may support a magnet 11 which may be provided to attract the blade 13 to determine the differential operation of the thermostat and to hold the blade positively against its contact 14 to prevent sparking therebetween. The contact 14 is connected to the terminal post 48 of the terminal board 45 by a lead wire 18, and the bi-metal blade 13 is connected to the terminal post 50 of the terminal board 45 by a lead wire 19. Mounted on the supporting base 15 there is preferably provided a heater 80, preferably an electric heater which may be a resistance, and this heater is arranged to heat and influence the operation of the blade 13. One end of the heating resistance 80 is connected by a wire 8| to the supporting member 16 of the contact 14 and the other end of the heater 80 is connected to the terminal post 49 of the terminal board 45 by a lead wire 82.

When the blade 13 engages the contact 14 the resistance heater 80 willv be energized and will heat the blade to a predetermined temperature above the room temperature so as to compensate for the temperature lag of the thermostat with respect to the room air temperature. When the blade 13 engages contact 14 calling for heat, the circuit of the relay will be closed, this circuit being as follows: From the transformer secondary 6 through lead wire 68, terminal 50, lead wire 19, blade 13, contact 14, lead wire 18, contact 48, lead wire 1 I, relay coil 23, lead wire 10, terminal bracket 62, lead wire 66 to the other side of the transformer secondary 6. Energization of the relay coil 23 will actuate the relay switch 34 and close the circuit of the heating apparatus control 52 which circuit is as follows: From the main lead wire I8 through terminal post I5, lead Wire 53, control 52, lead wire 54, terminal post I6, lead wire 56, relay contact 39, relay armature contact 43, jumper Wire 40a, U-shaped relay bracket, rivet 43, lead wire 51, terminal post I4 back to the other main lead wire I1. When the above circuit of the control 52 is closed, additional heat will then be supplied to the room or other enclosed space, the temperature of which is to be controlled by the thermostat 12. metal blade 13 engages the contact 14 calling for heat, the resistance heater 89 will be energized, the circuit of the heater being as follows: From the transformer secondary 6 through lead wire 68, terminal post 50, lead wire 19, blade 13, contact 14, contact support 16, wire 8|, heater 80, lead Wire 82, terminal post 49, wire 61, terminal bracket 63, resistance 60, terminal bracket 62, wire 66 back to the other side of the transformer secondary 6. Upon its energization the heater 80 heats and raises the temperature of' the blade 13 to compensate for the lag of the thermostat with respect to the room air temperature, so as to minimize so-called overtravel of the heating apparatus. When the blade 13 becomes satisfied it Will open the circuit of the relay which will then open the circuit of the heating apparatus control 52 to reduce or stop supplying of heat to the room or other enclosed space. It will be noted that the heater 80 is in parallel circuit with the relay and in series circuit with the resistance 60. The resistance 60 in the circuit of the heater 80 provides a load and is a safety means to prevent burning out of the transformer in the event of a short circuit occurring in the circuit of the heater 80. The relay, besides serving to control the circuit of control 52, serves as a safety means for it provides a load which will prevent burning out of the transformer in the event of a short circuit occurring in the circuit of the relay.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An electrical apparatus comprising a transformer having a core, a. coil surrounding said core intermediate the core end portions, a supporting member bridging said coll and having end portions secured to said core end portions, means electrically insulating said end portions so that said member is insulated from said core and rigidly secured to said core, relay switch mechanism having a coil and mounted on said supporting member intermediate said member end portions, and electrical conductor means interconnecting said coils.

2. An electrical apparatus comprising a supporting base member, a terminal carrying member mounted on one side of said base member, a transformer having a core and mounted on the opposite side of said base member, relay switch When the bimechanism mounted on said core on the opposite side thereof from said base member, and a clamping member rigidly securing said terminal member, said transformer and said mechanism to said base member.

3. An electrical apparatus comprising a supporting base member, a terminal carrying member mounted on one side of said base member, a transformer having a core and mounted on the opposite side of said base member, an electric insulating member mounted on said core on the opposite side thereof from said base member, relay switch mechanism secured to said insulating member, and a screw extending through said terminal member, said base member and said core and being secured in said insulating member to clamp said members together.

4. An electrical apparatus comprising a supporting base plate member having an opening therethrough, supporting ears extending from said member into said opening, a transformer core having laminations lying in the plane of and against said member, said core having spaced apertures therethrough registering with said opening and providing a cross-member, transformer coils surrounding said cross-member and received by said opening, electric insulator members at the ends of said cross-member and seating against said core, a supporting member secured to said insulator members and bridging said coils, relay switch mechanism secured on said supporting member on the opposite side of said core from said base member, a terminal carrying plate member positioned on the opposite side of said base member from said mechanism and overlying said opening, insulator means interposed between said ears and said terminal member, and a plurality of clamping screws, one for each of said insulator members and said ears, each of said screws clamping to its ear and insulator member, said terminal member, said insulator means and said core, said screws being screw threaded into their respective insulator members.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a supporting base member, electrical apparatus projecting from one side of said member, a

terminal-carrying member positioned at one side of said apparatus, a cover member enclosing said terminal member and having an open side, and a cover member housing said apparatus and having a side wall closing said open side so that said terminal member is accessible upon removal of said second-named cover member and so that said apparatus can be maintained housed upon removal of said first-named cover member.

6. An electrical apparatus of the character described, a casing having a dividing wall, a terminal strip secured to and electrically insulated from one side of said wall, connecting means secured to said strip and operable to receive a high voltage power supply circuit and a high voltage load circuit, transformer means secured to the opposite side of said Wall from said one side, a relay carried by said wall on said opposite side, a terminal strip carried by said Wall on said opposite side, means carried by said secondnamed strip for receiving the wires from a low voltage control switch, and electrical circuit means whereby the control switch is supplied with 10W voltage energy so that it is operable to control the high voltage energy supplied to the load circuit.

EARNEST J. DILLMAN. 

